Ayurvedic Bath

The Healing Bath:
Bathing in the Ancient World

People find different ways to beat back the blues. Some listen to music, others seek solace in natural beauty, and still others comfort themselves with food. And then there are those who simply take a bath. It cleanses their body, they say, and lifts their spirits every time.

Ayurveda, too, sees bathing as a therapeutic activity. A leisurely bath relaxes tense muscles, irons out a creased brow, opens clogged pores, restores moisture to the tissues, and adds a healing dimension to your day.

If preceded by a luxurious all-body massage, your bath can be a truly divine experience.

Bathing in the Ancient World
Bathing has always been accorded the status of an intimate, sacred activity in Indian life. During their explorations of ancient India's Indus Valley Civilization in Mohenjo Daro, archaeologists unearthed a large pool-like structure with steps leading down at both ends. This is believed to have been a public bath. In addition, homes in this surprisingly advanced civilization had their own private baths and an elaborate drainage system.

Not just India, but several other world cultures have treated the bath as a healing activity. In ancient Greece, water was regarded as a gift of health from the gods themselves. In Rome, ruins of hot and cold sunken baths can still be seen at Pompeii. Napoleon's wife Josephine Bonaparte's bathtub is said to retain its musk perfume, more than 150 years after it was built.

Bathing as luxury
As the world discovered the comfort and pleasure a bath could bring, new ways were found to make it a luxurious experience. Ancient ayurvedic texts speak of royal baths featuring rose petals, milk, honey, and turmeric. The Roman baths at Pompeii were resplendent with mirrors, marbled walls, and silver faucets. Mary, Queen of Scots, used wine in her bath.

Today, of course, we have an amazing range of bath accessories to choose from. Put together, bath sponges, loofahs, pillows, salts, and lotions can make even the simplest bathroom resemble a beauty boutique.

But there's great news for those who don't believe in or cannot afford such indulgence. A truly luxurious bath that leaves you feeling like a million dollars can be part of your daily routine-all you need is a good-quality herbalized massage oil, some paper towels, and a mild herb-based soap.

That Million-Dollar Feeling
The ayurvedic daily self-massage is called Abhyanga. It does a number of things to make you feel great. Massage helps to release impurities and toxins that accumulate in the skin.

It endows you with energy.
It calms the emotions.
It helps you think clearly and stay focused. It placates Vata dosha, which in turn helps calm the other doshas-Pitta and Kapha.
Massage moisturizes and strengthens the seven types of body tissue.

With over twenty powerful botanicals working synergistically, the Youthful Skin Massage Oil for Men or Women is especially formulated to nourish, rehydrate and heal the skin.

Follow your ayurvedic massage with a long luxurious bath or shower. An herbal cleansing bar such as the Rejuvenation Cleansing Bar from Maharishi Ayurveda is mild enough not to strip the oils from your skin, yet rich enough to leave you with a fresh, clean feeling for the day ahead.

Reprinted with permission from Maharishi Ayurveda Products International www.mapi.com.

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Question
I have heard that by harnessing all the senses, bath time can be used to heal body, mind and spirit. Can you offer some suggestions for doing this?

Answer
Ayurveda considers bathing more than just a simple cleansing ritual. The therapeutic ayurvedic bath offers a wide range of benefits-it enhances circulation, elevates energy levels, rehydrates the skin, relaxes tense muscles, promotes better sleep and balances the emotions, the mind and the nervous system.

All the five senses and sense organs can be used to enhance the healing benefits from your daily bath. Choose from the following suggestions or devise your own ways to create a blissful bath:

Place pads of cotton soaked in pure Rose Water over closed eyes while you relax in your bath. Rose Water is cooling and will help soothe away stress.
Keep your bathroom sparkling clean, free of clutter and visually pleasing, so that a sense of private peace steals over you as you enter for your morning massage and bath. Live green plants offer both beauty and a purified environment.

Practice deep breathing while you are waiting for your massage oil to soak in and while you bathe. Deep breathing opens up the channels of the body and infuses the lungs and the body with oxygen. This helps dispel fatigue and enhances mental clarity. Get fresh air into your bathroom by opening a window when you can.

Gentle aromatherapy can enhance the therapeutic value of the bath. You can diffuse your favorite aroma in the bathroom while you do your massage and bathe. You can also add 3-4 drops of aroma oil to your bath water or use one of our Aromatherapy Bath Salts. Through the sense of smell, the aroma quickly transmits a healing message to the brain, nervous system and mind.
Play Gandharva Veda music softly. Close your eyes and let the healing strains of the music wash over you, filling your body, mind and spirit with harmony. Pick a melody appropriate for the time of day or one like the Rain Raga that helps dispel stress and disharmony any time of day or night.

Sip a cup of soothing herbal tea. Choose Vata, Pitta or Kapha for personal balance or Worry Free to help balance the mind and emotions.

Don't skip the daily abhyanga-the ayurvedic warm oil self-massage is the ultimate pampering treatment for both mind and body. The Sanskrit word for oil, sneham, also means love. Abhyanga helps recharge your mind and body, enhances circulation, dislodges toxins so they can be easily eliminated from the body and leaves your skin feeling silky-soft.

Please note: This ayurvedic information is education. It does not replace medical advice or treatments.

Reprinted with permission from Maharishi Ayurveda Products International www.mapi.com.